The Night of Noisy Men
A girlfriend and I ordered drinks and sat on stools at the front of a small bar. We chatted for about ten minutes when the noise in the room became so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves speak. The source of the noise was coming from four young lads drinking and shouting about three meters away. […]
Cat & Pigeons
Recently, I was giving a talk about my book The Newcomer’s Dictionary at a local library. In conversation with one of the audience members, I discussed a potential issue that would cause some concerns for one particular group and said, “This will put the cat among the pigeons.” A women in the audience was […]
The Madness of Social Media
If anyone has ever has tried to solve a technical glitch related to Facebook (Meta), Instagram or another social media platform, you will know that the process to solve a problem can be so difficult and time consuming that you will need to see a therapist for emotional distress. Working with social media often reminds […]
Jane Again
The opportunity to reread a book seems a luxury. With all of the new books and limited time how do we justify it? On impulse, I borrowed a new paperback edition of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre from the library. I had read it years ago as a teenager and I had also seen the film […]
On Friendship
Moving frequently growing up, childhood friendships were made and broken but not necessarily forgotten. I have vivid memories of a girl from first grade in Florence, Alabama who invited me over to spend the night and we stayed up late jumping madly on couch cushions like they were trampolines. There was gentle red-headed Pam Bowers, […]
Thanksgiving Thoughts
An Australian friend recently asked me about the significance of the Thanksgiving holiday in America. Living abroad, I am accustomed to people not understanding this holiday as it is uniquely American and does not have its roots in European traditions like Christmas and Halloween. And because it is only celebrated in the United States, it […]
Tyranny of Distance
Numerous books for expats offer practical ideas to help bridge the distance from family and loved ones when people live in other countries. But let’s face it, the hardship of overcoming great distances is real and to remain in close contact or at least feel close to family and loved ones is a challenge. One […]
Learning Leisure Activities
We planned a glamorous two-day holiday on the coast of Victoria for my birthday, but instead of feeling like a holiday, it felt more like a trip to a comic Twilight Zone. Admittedly, our challenges were first world problems, but it was startling to realize what novices my husband and I are at pursuing leisure activities. […]
Contains Tobacco Depictions
Accustomed as I am to the verbal tomfoolery of streaming services labeling, nevertheless, I was astonished to recently see a descriptor for The Bear, an American television series with drama, comedy and cooking set in a restaurant in Chicago (on Disney+). We are alerted that it ‘contains tobacco depictions’. This is a warning to viewers […]
Fashionable myths and other misdemeanours
Certain contemporary fashion designers are exalted as gods. These hemline giants create clothing designs for women (and sometimes men) that are intended to transcend the staid ready to wear, the plaintive Peter Pan collar and other fashion faux pas. Certain designers are best known for collections which celebrate their obsessions. The poster child for this […]